Wednesday, March 27, 2013

When on Vacation

Well, here I am in this beautiful home. I am on spring break and the sun is shining. We are at the beach and attempting to use this time to refresh ourselves. In the process it is one of the COLDEST trips to the beach I have ever experienced. We have had so many things go wrong and yet we can't help but laugh.

Before leaving home, I received a darling phone call from this most accomodating lady from the rental place. She proceeded to tell me all I had to look forward to and the home we would be in is one of their most popular and beautiful. (hopes are high now)

She asked me if there was anything else she could do for me. I asked her about early checkin. This is where it gets fun. So she goes to her trusty computer and discovers that there was no one in the house before us and that it was showing clean but not inspected. She said we should be able to get into the unit early with no problem. (hopes are higher) So she ends the conversation with me by saying "I will call you on your way down and let you know how early you can check in." (Hopes are highest)

We begin our 6 + hour journey. The map on our phone was showing the trip would be almost 7 hours. We arrived just over 6 hours and it was all still looking so promising. As we were getting really close, I call the place to determine the status since I didn't receive the promised call. They began to tell me it was NOT ready. Then we used the GPS to take us to the rental office which was an empty building boarded up. We called the place once again and was redirected. Finally finding the place, we were assured it would be ready by original check in time (4:00). We finally get settled in after 4:00. I check on the bike reservations to discover the lady NEVER had check her emails and ALL the bikes were rented out already. With our reservation was one free bike rental and remainer discounted. The house came with 3 bikes for our use so I proceeded to find another bike rental place.

The new rental place honored our discount but of course no free rental. We were using the bikes yesterday when my husbands handle bars CRACKED and became unstable. (never seen that happen before)

So first night in the house was really nice but we awakened early the next morning to a house being built outside our bedroom window. We decided to go for a ride on the bikes and discovered that the combinations for the locks on the bikes had been changed. We contact the rental place to see if they have locks and they sent these locks that we can't use and even forget to leave a key to the locks we can't use.

So first day on the bikes we head to the beach and spread out the towels to lay on and the wind begins to blow all over us. I could feel the sand going into my right ear. I was chilly but determined to lay there as long as possible. I had to laugh a bit at the entire scene. After we stood it as long as we could, we walked around and then I hung out at the local pool.

Afterwards, we went to dinner where we followed friends in a total of 3 cars. We were in a place where we had not really been familiar with to be directed by an officer in the street that "You need to head back to the four way stop and park. The Shuttle is up and running. You can catch it back" So we circle around and could not find the four way stop. We go back and thankfully found a spot. One misunderstanding after another made it all very comical. Each car's drivers were trying to coordinate with the other of their whereabouts and discovering that one party has a table. We enter the restaurant to tell the hostess of the fact we are joining a group already seated and she directs us to the back of the restaurant. We look and look for our party. They are no where to be found. To discover they have a pager for the table, not the actual table.

Fast forward to this morning where we thought things were settling down with the exception of the early morning construction outside the bedroom windows, and a knock at the door. It is a maintenance man. He is here to fix a pocket door. We didn't even know we had an issue with that. The rental place doesn't tell us. So anyway, we allow him to enter and search. He finds this messed up door and discovers another door as well with issues. He fixes these and as he is working he is entertaining us with little sayings and construction stories involving pocket doors. We just have to laugh. (he tells us about a 7 million dollar home that was built down here where they had put in all stained hardwood pocket doors thru out the place. then the base boards were nailed in place thru out. To then discover that ALL the pocket doors were nailed in place. Ouch. He said all the doors had to be replaced.)

So for now, we are wondering what the remainder of this week has in store for us. Also wondering if the term "spring break" means we are taking a break from SPRING. Because it feels like winter but it sure looks like spring.

Wondering what lessons I am learning from this trip. The devotion for the last two mornings have been all about being thankful and grateful. So if GRATITUDE is what I need to be walking in, I pray that I will be able to do it with grace and truth.

Have a blessed day and hope you are enjoying your break from spring as well.